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Friday, May 7, 2010

Follow Friday: Into the Light

Renate’s blog Into the Light is an engaging illustration of the genealogy blog as chronicle of a journey. There is both struggle and poetry in that journey. The focus is on both researching family history and living family history, and how those two processes intertwine – discovery begets understanding. One of my favorite recent posts in this vein was “Sentimental Sundays – Sentimental Journeys” on family events of special significance.

Renate’s posts on her family members and ancestors are fully fleshed-out portraits rather than dry recitations of statistics and events (though Renate can do a mean timeline: check out “Calvin R. Yarborough – Where it all began”). Her entry in the Carnival of African-American Genealogy – Grandma’s Hands, “Grandmothers and Their Influence on the Family,” was insightful and gave a full description of the lives of these ladies, and there were links to even more information in other articles such as “Fearless Female – Anna G. Yarborough.” I was inspired to take stock of my knowledge of my own grandmothers: could I say that I knew this much about my own grandmothers? The answer was no, and I resolved then and there to rectify that situation. So if I were to make a list genealogy blogs that have inspired and influenced me, Into the Light would definitely be on it.

Elyse at Elyse’s Genealogy Blog ask a question many of us have asked ourselves: “Are Genealogists Mean to Lack Answers?” I’ve often wondered if it isn’t those missed opportunities – not asking questions of older relatives when they were still around – that gives special urgency to “finding the answers” in genealogy.

4 comments:

Greta! Imagine my surprise as I was scrolling through my Reader this evening and there was my name - and the name of my blog on your post! Thank you so very much for making "Into the Light" the focus of your Follow Friday post! I am so honored by your beautifully-written overview of my blog, and I can tell that you've really been reading!I love your blog, too, and look forward to continue to follow your genealogical journey as we continue to learn from, and support one another.

Renate - As I mentioned in the post, your blog has been one that really brought home a point to me - I need to make sure I "do right" by the relatives that I actually did know - put down all my memories and find out as much additional information as I can! You always inspire me!

fM - You are so kind. I am so glad that you are "back", and back with your inimitable style. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, there are certain thought-provoking posts that naturally inspire comments, and yours definitely do.

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About Me

After spending my formative years paying no heed to all the family stories, I got hooked on genealogy later in life and am now trying to catch up. My husband and I had long ago developed an interest in graveyards and have enjoyed visiting them while on vacation. I have started two Graveyard Rabbit blogs as a way, in addition to my participation in Findagrave, to help make information to other people who are researching their family history.
If you would like to get in touch with me, simply click on the link below entitled "View My Complete Profile"; this will take you to my Profile page, where you can click on the "Email" link under Contact (right below my profile picture, aka my cat R.B. trying to catch a balloon).